When the supercentenarian was born, Marconi had yet to send the first radio communication over open sea, Bram Stoker's novel "Dracula" had yet to be published, and the composer George Gershwin had not even been born.

Jiroemon Kimura has claimed the title as the world's oldest person at the age of 115. TODAY.com's Dara Brown reports.

He lived at home under the care of his grandson's 60-year-old wife. Kimura would greet almost any visitor from abroad with the English phrase he learned: "Thank you very much, you are very kind."

On his 115th birthday, Kimura told reporters he attributed his longevity to getting out in the sunlight.

"I am always looking up towards the sky. That is how I am," Kimura said then.

According to local media, Kimura ate a three-meal-a-day diet of rice, pumpkins and sweet potatoes.

He celebrated his 116th birthday on April 19 by watching a video message of congratulations from Japan's prime minister.

However, Kimura was admitted to hospital last month after contracting pneumonia.